Gloucester Services

[Billhook]

I am not sure if this topic has been raised already, if so apologies.

 

My wife and I had to go to Exeter last weekend from here in Lincolnshire, five and a half hours mainly A46. (The hedges and trees are no further forward than ours and they should be a fortnight ahead normally)

We stopped at Gloucester Services for a break and were mightily impressed.

Everything from the car park, the peaceful quiet setting with a pond and wildlife to the building itself.

 

So much quality timber work and a great feeling to the place.  Two long tree trunks had been hung above the food area with spotlights let in to great effect.  The tables were set out with great thought and the farm shop was of a very high quality.

 

Both male and female loos were the best we had seen with many cubicles, which as my wife pointed out is vital considering the time she has had to queue in similar places when a bus load turns up.  She also noticed some family cubicles for some poor mother who is trying to deal with a couple of toddlers as well as a baby at the same time

 

Food was excellent, even Lincolnshire style sausages, and a full breakfast for two at £20.

 

I gather that there are a couple more of these so I was wondering if any of you had anything to do with the timber construction, or the planning of these masterpieces?

[wicklamulla]

good scram there Bill,  i have eaten dinner there a few times.  I pointed it out to anudder Arbtalker on wednesday of this week as we drove south down the M5 after a visit to the Greenmech factory. He hasn't sampled the delights yet.  The whole layout is indeed nice. I like the way the building is kind of hidden from the motorway. 

[Matthew Storrs]

I went there for the first time at Christmas time. Just how a service station should be- I noticed it attracted an altogether nicer breed of people too!

[wicklamulla]

1 minute ago, Matthew Storrs said:

I went there for the first time at Christmas time. Just how a service station should be- I noticed it attracted an altogether nicer breed of people too!

too right Matt, Us posh chaps have gotta stick together yeah...

[monkeybusiness]

Sunday roasts are very good too (and good value imo). 

[Anthony H]

Even the Petrol station is something...clad in local stone ...with a sedum type roof

Edited April 26, 2018 by Anthony H
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[PeteB]

It is a good spot! The food in the services on Shap are good too, but the whole deal at Gloucester is relaxing, calming and inviting, as a rest area should. To be honest, and I've driven the length and breast of the country, they are the best! While the remainder are, by and large, awful!

[Mick Dempsey]

Good random thread.

 

In the sixties and early seventies my parents (who were Irish) drove my sister, elder brother and I to Wexford from West Sussex every summer for holidays.

 

We left early in the morning and drove through the day arriving at the Severn Bridge late in the afternoon (in a Vauxhall Viva or before that a Vauxhall Victor) it was a hellish journey for me, as the youngest I had to sit in the middle.

 

I insisted (much to my father’s annoyance as it was expensive) that we stopped at the Severn Bridge services which I loved, huge vertical windows that looked out over the bridge itself.

 

It seemed so modern and space age it captured my imagination.

I bought my first Marvel comic and ate my first yoghurt there.

 

Funny the things you remember.

 

Here’s  the view from the seating that I remember and the outside view.

Edited April 27, 2018 by Mick Dempsey

[Billhook]

15 hours ago, Anthony H said:

Even the Petrol station is something...clad in local stone ...with a sedum type roof

Thanks for that photo Anthony, just look at that lighting on the logs above the counters for originality.

 

So to answer my original question, was anyone on Arbtalk involved with the woodwork or know who the designer was?

I gather that there are a couple more of these and I was talking to someone today who told me that he and his fishing mates make a point of meeting at the original Cumbrian Services each time they go  up for a fishing week, as they find it to be so good.

More here

http://www.gloucesterservices.com/our-story

[Anthony H]

http://www.dtatransportation.co.uk/project/gloucestershire-services/